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If ‘income‐poor’ older home‐owners could draw on their housing equity easily and with confidence, then they could afford practical help that would improve their quality of life and make it possible for them to continue to live for longer in their own homes. This article reports on three local authorities that are now piloting equity release schemes, and the plans for monitoring and assessing them.

More than two million older home owners have housing assets worth over £50,000, but incomes so low that they qualify for means‐tested benefits. Drawing on housing equity could improve their quality of life significantly, helping them to live more comfortably in their own homes for longer. But only about 25,000 home owners (of all ages and incomes) conclude equity release deals each year. This paper identifies the obstacles that deter asset‐rich, income‐poor older home owners from drawing on their housing equity, and suggests ways of overcoming them. The focus is on paying for additional care at home, home improvements and repairs.

Problems with corks are a major issue in the wine industry. The key problem has been the lack of consumer acceptance of alternative closures. This research used an interview and survey approach with 200 wine shoppers in Australia to determine: 1) consumer perceptions of cork problems; 2) acceptance of a synthetic cork with no information provided; and 3) acceptance of a synthetic cork after providing information concerning cork problems and solutions. Consumers who purchased more than one bottle of wine per week had the most problems with corks, but 75% of all consumers interviewed had experienced some problems in the last 12 months. The provision of information was key in gaining consumer acceptance of the synthetic corks. Measures of which attributes of the synthetic corks attracted consumers is also provided along with recommendations for introducing these closures into the marketplace.

The Association of Caribbean University, Research and Institutional Libraries (ACURIL) held its XXII Annual Conference in Port of Spain, Trinidad from 17 to 23 May 1992. The conference honoured the founder of ACURIL, Dr Alma Jordan, the former librarian of the University of the West Indies in St Augustine, Trinidad.

In this article, we examine the demographic changes in the American population and look at communication and culture to make cross‐cultural communications more effective by resolving the problems that occur when communicating between co‐cultures. Therefore, for comparison purposes, we will look at the three major co‐cultures (African American, Asian American, and Hispanic American) as they relate to communication and what is considered the majority culture, European American, and their respective communication patterns. Finally, the authors present guidelines for training programs.